This invention relates to the utilization of solid fossil fuels to power gas turbines.
Solid fossil fuels have previously been utilized as the energy source for the generation of shaft horsepower, primarily in conventional steam-electric generating stations. These have had to be located near an adequate supply of the water which is needed to condense low pressure steam back to water so that it can be economically pumped back up to boiler pressures for reconversion into steam. The heat injection into these waters has become increasingly severe to the point where it may even create an ecological problem near large electric consuming centers. Furthermore, these generating stations are generally located close to large urban centers, where the stack gas emissions have become objectionable contributors to atmospheric pollution.
Lately, efforts are being made to relocate power generation stations by utilizing gas turbines powered by fuels derived from solid fossil fuels, but these are meeting with problems of excessive costs in fuel preparation, low yield of usable product and excessive production of by-products.
Some attempts have also been made to pass the products of combustion of the fossil fuels through turbines, but the erosive nature of the inert material present in these combustion products has tended to cause rapid failure of the turbine parts.